Flexible shaft coupling



Feb. 19, 1952 A. w. MALL FLEXIBLE SHAFT coUFLING .Filed May 12. 1947 m Fw mm FMF Patented Feb. 19, 1952 FLEXIBLE', SHAFT COUPLING Arthur Wl Mall, Flossmoor, yIll.,` assignor to Mall Tool Com-pany,v Chicago, Ill., a corporationof.

Illinois Application May 12, 1947, Serial No. 747,417

1 Claim'. l

The present invention relates to iieXible shafts and more particularly to a coupling device for joining together two lengths of exible shafts.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple and yet effective coupling device wherein ball bearings are. employed to reduce friction to a minimum.

The operation of joining together two lengths of shaftsis made very simple with the present invention. While in the past it was necessary to thread the shaft core into the core of the coupling, the present invention eliminates this awkward operation and instead involves simply the operation of inserting the end of the shaft core into a complementary socket in the coupling core. The drive of the shaft core through the coupling is positive and eiecti've and when one desires to separate the shaft core from the coupling core, a mere pull on the shaft withdraws the shaft core from the coupling socket. The shaft casing is threaded to the coupling shell so that before this separation is effected the shaft casing must be separated from the shell. This latter operation is simple however because both the casing and the coupling shell are very readily accessible.

The foregoing constitute some of the principal objects and advantages of the present invention, others of which will become apparent from the following description and the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a coupling embodying the present invention and showing the relationship between the coupling and a pair of iiexible shaft lengths, the latter being shown only fragmentarily;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through the coupling, the view being taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is another transverse sectional view taken through the coupling, the view :being taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one socket member employed in connecting the flexible shaft core to the ball bearing coupling, the view being shown partially in section; and

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 4 but illustrating another socket member shown in Fig. 1 at the opposite end of the ball 4bearing coupling member.

For purposes of illustration two embodiments of the present invention are illustrated, it being recognized, of course, that many modications may be made without departing from the intended scope of the invention.

tion is illustrated in. connection. with a, coupling generally indicated at I0 that joins together' a pair of flexible shaft lengths indicated at IfI. and I2. The coupling I0 comprises a shell generally indicated; at I3 that as shownis made up of aA central. shell portion. I4 with a pair of. shell end portions I5 and. I6 disposed at opposite ends of the. central portion.

The central shell portion I4 houses a coupling core II that is adapted toY rotate in the central shell portion I4, on ball bearing members generally indicated at I8 and I9. This: central shell portion I4 is divided into two central shell segments I4a and |412., These ball bearing, members I 8 and I9 are identical and each comprises an inner ring 20 that is mounted concentrically about the couplingl core II andan outer ring 2| that engages the inner wa-ll of the central` shell segment Ida. The inner and outer rings 20 and 2l are spaced apart and are provided with cornplementary ball bearing races 22 and 23 respectively between which races a plurality of ball bearings 24 are held. l

The coupling core I'I is provided at one end with a threaded male coupling portion 25 and at the opposite end with a female threaded coupling portion 23. The central shell segment I4a is provided at one end with a threaded male portion 21 and at the opposite endvthereof the central shell segment I4a is welded as at 28 to the central shell segment I4b.

The end shell portion I5 is provided with a threaded female coupling portion 29 that is adapted to thread onto the male portion 21 of the central shell I4a and a gasket 30 may be provided between the end shell portion I5 and the central shell portion I4. The opposite end of the end shell portion I5 is fixed in some suitable manner to the end of the exible shaft length I2. The end shell member I5 is hollow so as to house therein a socket member 3I that is provided with a threaded male coupling portion 32 at one end thereof. Thus the socket member 3l is adapted to thread into the female socket portion 26 of the coupling core I1. As best shown in Fig. 2 the socket member 3| is provided with a rectangular socket 33 therein.

The central shell segment I4b is provided with a threaded female coupling portion 34 that is adapted to receive a. threaded male coupling portion 35 that is disposed at one end of the end shell portion |16. The opposite end of the end shell portion IB is suitably attached to the end of the flexible shaft length I I.

The central shell segment I4b is provided with Referring to the drawings the present invenan annular shoulder portion 36 against which the ball bearing member I9 rests. The coupling core I1 is provided with a shoulder 31 against which the ball bearing member I8 rests. A spacer sleeve 38 is mounted concentrically about the coupling core I1 between the ball bearing members I8 and I9 so as to maintain the proper spacing between these tWo ball bearing members.

Rotatably mounted in the central shell segment I4b is a socket member 39 that is provided with a threaded female coupling portion 40 that is adapted to thread onto the male coupling portion 25 of the coupling core I1. The socket member 39 is provided at its opposite end as best shown in Fig. 3 with a square or rectangular socket 4I. Each of the exible shaft lengths II and I2 comprises a central rotatable flexible shaft core 42 that is rotatably housed in a housing 43. The shaft core 42 is provided at one end thereof with a coupling portion 44 that is square or rectangular in cross section so as to be received in the socket 33 or 4I of the appropriate socket member 3| or 39.

The housing d3 comprises a flexible liner 45 that is surrounded by a sheath 46. This sheath 4B in turn is encased in a hose or the like 41. An end cap or closure member 48 is fixed to the end of the casing 43 and is apertured at 49. The shaft coupling 44 projects through this aperture 49 in the end wall 48.

Thus there is provided a flexible shaft coupling arrangement that is effective and relatively simple. The operation of attaching a shaft length to the coupling involves merely the steps of rst providing a socket member 3| or 39 on the core I1 of the coupling IIJ andthen merely inserting the coupling portion 44 of the shaft core 42 into the socket 33 or 4I as the case may be and then finally threading the end member I5 or I6 in place on the central coupling portion I4 of the coupling I0. The assembly is thereby made complete and rotation of one shaft core 42 is conveyed to the other shaft core through the coupling members 3| and 39 and the coupling core I1.

I claim:

A coupling for connecting two flexible shafts comprising an elongated tubular core having a shoulder formed thereon, bearing assemblies disposed on said core in spaced axial relation, a spacer between said bearing assemblies, one of said assemblies being disposed in abutting relation against said shoulder, a first socket member removably secured to one end of said core and having a shoulder abutting the other of said bearing assemblies and locking said bearing assemblies in place'against said spacer, said core having a socket in the opposite end thereof, and a housing disposed around said bearing assemblies.

ARTHUR W. MALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,320,582 Sperling Nov. 4, 1919 1,433,537 Elliott Oct. 31, 1922 1,871,528 Joline Aug. 16, 1932 1,926,999 Keller Sept. 12, 1933 2,222,613 Green Nov. 26. 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date '152,264 France 1933 

